Prayer by Agreement
Prayer by Agreement, what is it?
We suggest not to believe, but to test and experience this experience.
Prayer by agreement is a unique gift that the Lord has given to the world out of His boundless Love for each of us. He desires to help us because, as our Creator, He knows us better than we know ourselves.
The time of restoring churches has passed; now is the time to learn the spiritual life with God! In Orthodox Bolgar, through the efforts of Father Vladimir Golovin, an ancient spiritual practice has been revived. We know that prayer existed even before Christ, but the Lord introduced something truly special— prayer by agreement. This prayer has been continuously offered on Bulgarian soil for about 20 years, as we need divine assistance every day. It takes place in the form of Akathist hymns, recited on specific days of the week and at set times, following the strict tradition of the ancient Church (see the Akathist schedule). Every day, we take saints and angels as co-prayers, asking them, like elder brothers and sisters, to pray with us. Each Akathist is dedicated to a specific purpose, addressing our personal problems and circumstances, and if uncertain, one can seek guidance on which Akathist to read. The Lord calls us in the Gospel to embrace this practice, to pray together, and to allow Him to work in our lives: "Truly I tell you, if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in My name, there am I with them." (Matthew 18:19-20).
Prayer by agreement is a joint, unified, and collective prayer of agreement, uniting thousands of God's sons and daughters in shared faith and hope in the Almighty Hand of our saving Lord. Regardless of physical distances, the submitted name is commemorated in Bolgar at the appointed time, spiritually connecting us all through a common concern and a single prayer. This becomes not just our prayer, but the prayer of Christ Himself, invisibly present among us. Prayer by agreement in Orthodoxy is the experience of living with the Living Lord, through which we will witness His helping Hand and His divine Power!
First, take your time, pray, and carefully reflect on identifying the main problem (or problems) in your life. Setting the right priorities is crucial, so avoid trying to tackle too much at once—after all, we are not invincible. It is recommended to focus on one or two of the most pressing concerns.
Second, seek guidance in choosing the appropriate Akathist for these specific situations by visiting the section for personal questions.
Once you receive a response, you need to submit the name of the person for whom the prayer will be offered in the nominative case, selecting the most convenient Moscow time for the prayer, considering your time zone. There are four time slots available: night, morning, daytime, and evening. On the chosen day and hour, it is advisable to stand in prayer with the designated Akathist at home.
A confirmation of name registration will be sent via email. From the nearest designated day of prayer, you can already participate in the conciliar prayer using the chosen Akathist for yourself or your loved ones, fulfilling the Gospel commandment of Christ! How often should the prayer by agreement be recited? The Akathist is performed only once a week at the designated hour, taking about 20-30 minutes.
The text of the required Akathist for prayer by agreement can always be downloaded from the "Schedule" section. Can the prayer by agreement be listened to? Absolutely! The "Schedule" section offers the option to download an audio version of the required Akathist. Additionally, a live broadcast of the prayer from Bolgar can be accessed via our YouTube channel